Snowflakes
by gwenlynn93
Summary: Jack Frost is called by the Guardians to find out why the little town of Arendelle has snow in July. What he finds is beyond his wildest dreams. His old enemy has returned with dangerous plans.
1. Mission & Elsa

Jack Frost heard the summons, but he ignored them, continuing to carefully sculpt the ice statue. He added some finishing touches with his staff and stood back to admire it, his hands in the kangaroo pocket of his blue hoodie. The little girl was perfect in every way. Her ice hair hung loose down her back and her expression was happy. She held a snowball in her mittened hand and was poised to throw it.

Suddenly a hole opened beside Jack and the Easter Bunny hopped out, an angry expression on his face.

"Frosty! Why can't you be responsible, mate, and come when you're called?"

Before Jack could think of a smart aleck reply Bunny stuffed him down the hole and jumped down after him.

They rolled out in Santa Claus' headquarters. Jack got to his feet, pouting, and created a snowstorm above himself with his staff.

Santa growled at him, "Jack, you know better than that. Now that you're a Guardian, you need to accept responsibility for your actions."

Jack shook the snow out of his white hair and gave him a cheerful smile, "Well, I'm here! What's up, North?" He looked around for the Tooth Fairy and the Sandman. "Where's Tooth and Sandy?"

The big man heaved himself into his chair.

"Tooth and Sandy weren't summoned. This mission is for you."

"Why's Bunny here?"

"Only because I asked him to get you when you didn't answer my summons."

He gestured to the giant globe behind him, "Something strange is happening in this town—" He pointed his finger to a small dot "—Arendelle. It's actually more of a small kingdom. The globe reports snowfall in the middle of July, which is unnatural for Arendelle."

Jack narrowed his eyes, "What?" He leaned on his staff and a few snowflakes sprinkled down around him.

"Jack, are you fooling around again?" Bunny rolled his eyes and looked disgusted.

Jack frowned, "No….I'm just curious as to why this happened."

North turned back to him, "Would you look into this Jack? I felt it was in your domain."

Jack nodded, "Ok, sure, I'll do it. I'll report back to you when I figure anything out." He flicked a snowflake off his hoodie.

"Be cautious, Jack, there could be something dangerous. We have no idea about this."

Jack nodded again, "I'll be ok."

"Good. Here, you can use my portal; it'll get you there faster."

He drew a black glass ball out and threw it on the floor in front of Jack. It burst up, creating a ring, and Jack stepped through it. He found himself standing in knee deep snow on a mountainside above a small town.

"Ok, this is totally crazy. What's with the snow?"

He scooped up a handful and squinted at it.

"Looks real…hmmm. Well, here goes!"

He began the descent down the mountainside, sinking his bare feet into the deep snow, his blue eyes scanning the forest in the darkness.

Elsa wrapped her arms around herself in the dark of the forest, not because she was cold, but because she was in agony, her thoughts roiling. How could she have done it? All her life she had been able to keep her secret, hiding from her sister, bearing the loss of her parents alone in her room, trying to keep the people safe. Now, on the very day she became Queen Elsa of Arendelle, Anna had pushed too far, making Elsa lash out at her, revealing her dark and terrible secret to the whole of Arendelle.

Fleeing seemed the only safe thing to do, so here she was, trudging through the snow of her own emotions, her eyes wet with unshed tears. She shook away the picture of Anna's shocked expression and began to sing quietly to herself, not noticing a figure slipping behind a tree near her.

"Conceal, don't feel, don't let them know."

She sang, staring at her gloved hand, before decidedly ripping it off and throwing it behind her.

"Well now they know!"

She began swirling snow around, creating a snowman, and a stairs in front of her. Jack watched from behind in awe, trying to take it all in. This was amazing! This girl with the crown had emerged in front of him, and he'd quickly jumped behind a tree, not knowing for sure whether she could see him. She was tall, wearing a green dress with black sleeves and a long purple cape. Her white hair was done up in a braided bun at the nape of her neck.

He quietly flew to the top of a tall tree to see her better. She was at the top of the ice stairs, looking jubilant, no longer wearing the cape. He saw it down below, lying in the snow. He watched her stamp her foot, creating a giant ice snowflake that spread, and when she raised her arms in grew out of the mountainside, walls forming on its edges until Jack couldn't see her anymore. He watched in awe as the ice turned into a giant palace on the mountain.

Suddenly the glass carved doors to the balcony in front of him opened and the girl emerged, a proud look on her pale face. Her dress had turned blue and a long almost clear train fell down from her shoulders. She'd also taken her crown off and her hair hung in one think white braid over her shoulder. Jack couldn't take his eyes of her, she looked so beautiful. She was still singing, and he caught the echo of her words before she spun around and went back inside that beautiful fortress.

"Here I stand, in the light of day, let the storm rage on! The cold never bothered me anyway!"

"Wow, this is so amazing! I have so much to report to North!"

But suddenly he didn't want to. He wanted to stay here and meet this girl, so like him with her powers. He didn't want to be a Guardian anymore, he just wanted her.


	2. Jack

Anna watched in anguish as Elsa fled across the fjord, her feet creating ice that rapidly spread over the water, her long cape billowing out behind. Anna took a running step onto the ice, slipping and falling to her knees.

"Elsa!"  
Elsa disappeared into the darkness on the other side of the woods. Hans hurried up behind her, pulling her to her feet. He looked shaken. Anna was reeling from the shock as she tried to comprehend the enormity of the spectacle she'd just witnessed. So that's why Elsa had shut her out, hiding in her room, choosing isolation instead of endangering her. A tear slid down her cold cheek. She'd been protecting her, protecting Arendelle, from herself. What pain she must be feeling!

"It's my fault, I pushed her too far." She turned to Hans, "I need to go after her."

She gasped as snowflakes began to fall thickly. The townspeople were standing in wonder, looking up.

"No, you can't, she's dangerous! Don't you realize what she's done?"

"I'm going." Anna called for her horse and mounted him, "Hans, you're in charge of keeping Arendelle safe while I'm gone."

With that, she galloped out the gate towards the forest.

Jack finally flew out of the tree, landing in the snow. He walked to the crystal staircase rising out of the side of the mountain, leading to what appeared to be the front doors of the palace, across the chasm, high above him.

"Amazing."

He touched the glassy railing with his hand in awe, before tentatively placing one of his bare feet on the first step, testing his weight. It held, solid and strong, and he started climbing it, up towards the big doors, admiring the beauty of what lay before him. When he reached the doors, they opened automatically, and he stepped inside, unafraid. His eyes travelled up to the ceiling high above him, a giant snowflake chain hanging like a chandelier from the top, and back down to the snowflake design in the floor. Suddenly he heard a soft noise, and he spun around to see the ice girl, standing in one of the doorways, staring at him open-mouthed in confusion.

"You can see me?" Jack inquired.

She closed her mouth and nodded, getting more confused.

"Who are you? Jack watched her curiously.

She took a step back, "Go away. I don't want to hurt you! Please."

Jack frowned, "Why would you hurt me?"

She avoided his question. "Who are you?" A spark of interest lit her blue eyes.

He grinned and held out his staff, blowing a string of snowflakes off it towards her like bubbles. They brushed her nose and she giggled.

"I know who you are! You're Jack Frost! Mum used to tell us about you in the winter, when there was pretty frost patterns on the windows."

Jack raised his eyebrows, impressed.

"Wow. Someone who knows who I am. That's a first. Watch this."

He knelt down, drawing a bunny with the tip of his staff. He touched it and it hopped out of the floor and around the room, exploring.

The girl's clear laughter rang out in the stillness of the empty hall. The snow bunny hopped up to her and sniffed at her feet.

"Aww, he's so cute! Can I keep him?"

Jack watched her with a lopsided grin, reminded of a child on Christmas. He made a bird and it flew around the girl, shedding snowflakes, and settled on her head.

"This is so cool! I can't make living things…" her face suddenly fell and she stared at the floor, "I can only hurt them."

Jack walked to her and reached for her hand. She pulled away, startled, fear leaping into her eyes.

"It's ok. Remember? I'm Jack Frost. You can't hurt me with your powers."

He stopped.

"By the way, what's your name?"

She focused on him for a few seconds, as if deciding, then gave in.

"I'm Elsa. Queen of Arendelle."

Tears gathered in her eyes and Jack quickly responded.

"Elsa. Pretty name. I once had a little sister, her name was Emma. I always loved it, and her too." He sighed a little at the memories. "Do you have any siblings?"

Elsa smiled a little.

"Yes. I have a younger sister called Anna. She's very playful and naïve. Wanted to marry a guy she'd only known for a couple hours." Her voice broke. "Can you imagine? I got angry at her and lost my temper, revealing my power to all of Arendelle." She stopped abruptly, looking sadly at her hands.

Jack's mind was whirling. Such power was very dangerous. But he'd just witnessed her creating something immensely beautiful with it.

"Why did you run?" He knew the answer.

"Because I couldn't bear the looks on their faces. Lost and betrayed, almost. They will recover. I'm hoping if I stay tucked away up here long enough they'll forget and life will go on as usual."

"Is that what you really want?"

"Yes…and no. I want to be normal!" A tear slid down her pale cheek.

"Listen, Elsa. Maybe your power is dangerous, but it's also good. Look at all this!"

He gestured to the shining walls and the glittering snowflake chandelier. The corners of Elsa's mouth turned up and she swiped the tear away.

"You're right, Jack, I'm free now. Free from the danger of hurting anyone." She glanced at him suddenly. "You're not leaving yet, are you?"

He turned back and raised an eyebrow. Before he could say anything, she quickly followed it up.

"You can stay here if you'd like! There's several extra rooms, and then I'll have someone to talk to."

Jack smiled and gave in.

"Sure. I wasn't up to anything anyways. Just wandering around, looking for excitement. And I sure found it!"

Elsa stuck her tongue out at him and pointed to the stairs.

"Let me show you your room."


	3. Jack's Story

Anna sat with her arms crossed in her newly hired guide Kristoff's sleigh as his reindeer pulled them through the darkness. They'd just had a big argument, and she was mad.

"Stop talking." Kristoff said quietly, looking tense.

"What? Why?"

Kristoff held out his lantern to look behind the sleigh.

Suddenly the reindeer began to gallop and a pack of wolves with gleaming eyes appeared out of the forest behind them.

"Go, Sven, go!"

Kristoff kept glancing back, watching in terror as the wolves began to gain on them. Suddenly the ground in front of the sleigh opened up. Anna leaned forward.

"Get ready to jump, Sven!" She yelled.

"You don't tell him what to do! I do!" Kristoff grabbed Anna and threw her forward onto Sven's back. "Jump, Sven!" He leaned down and cut the sleigh away from Sven, leaping out of it after Sven across the chasm. They landed safely on the other side, and watched the sleigh crash at the bottom and burst into flames.

"But I just got it paid off!" Kristoff whimpered.

"Jack." Elsa turned to where he stood with his arms crossed, staring thoughtfully out the window. "You told me that you once had a sister. Will you tell me about her?"

Jack tore his eyes away from the beautiful view and sighed.

"Ok, but on one condition: that you tell me about yours."

Elsa bit her lip and hesitated, "Fair enough."

Jack tapped his staff on the floor and a thin wall of ice formed. He began sketching small scenes on it like a blackboard as he spoke.

"First thing's first: I wasn't always Jack Frost. A very long time ago, hundreds of years, in fact, I was an ordinary boy. A seventeen-year-old named Jackson Overland. I looked pretty much the same as I do now because I haven't aged, except I didn't have white hair, and I definitely didn't wear this."

He gestured down at his tight brown pants and blue hoodie.

"Anyways, my sister was a smaller picture of me. She was twelve, with pretty big brown eyes and hair. I was always teasing her, making her scared. Risking my life doing daring things. I loved my family, especially Emma."

He stopped and smiled a little, and Elsa focused on the memories covering his drawing board with interest.

"Well, one day, I decided to take her skating. As we left, Mum told me to look out for her. I can still hear her words echoing in my head, and I'm grateful I kept my word to her. Anyhow, as we were skating, we suddenly realized that the ice on half the pond was thinner than the other half. Emma was frightened, long cracks began appearing around her and me. I carefully took my skates off, and, pretending I was playing hopscotch, I gingerly made my way to where a long hooked stick lay on the ice. Emma wouldn't trust me at first, but soon I got her to skate a little ways closer, and I hooked her with the end of the stick and quickly slid her across to safety. She sat up and giggled at my game, thinking I was safe. The last thing I remember is her horrified face as the ice beneath me split and I fell into the freezing water."

He heard a gasp from Elsa and turned.

"Are you ok with me finishing this? Because if you can't handle it, that's fine."

She shook her head, her heart breaking for the boy in the sketch.

"No, it's ok. Please tell the rest. I just got a little too caught up."

"I died that day, frozen deep in the ice. I don't know how long I stayed there, motionless, silent, without life. My first memory was the moon, shining down on me through the glassy covering. He seemed to say something, but I still can't remember what it was. I felt myself being lifted out of the ice by an invisible force and then there I was, standing on my feet again, not remembering who I was. Only that I was Jack Frost, and my job was to make snow and ice for the children of the world to enjoy. Part of my power comes from my staff. It took a long time to accept that no one could see me."

Elsa frowned.

"Why not?"

"To see, you have to believe. My guess is that none of them knew who Jack Frost was. I still talked to the children, always clinging to the hope that somebody, somewhere would know who I was. I spent years and years creating snow and ice for happy kids, starting snowball fights and sled races. Then my life changed. One day, I got kidnapped by the Guardians. They wanted me to be a Guardian."

"Wait, Guardian?" Elsa looked confused.

"Oh, um, the protectors of the kids: Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy, the Easter Bunny, who's Australian, and the Sandman."

"Oh! Really? You've met them all? I heard so many stories when I was a little girl about—all of them!"

"Yep, most kids have. Anyways, I didn't want that responsibility. They told me that the Man in the Moon had chosen me to be a Guardian. I couldn't accept that, so I left. But we all got tangled together in a fight against the creator of fear and nightmares, Pitch Black. He almost killed Sandy. And he made most of the kids stop believing. Only one was left. Jamie. He's still my best friend. I proved to him that the Guardians still existed, and, as a result, he believed in me. We defeated Pitch by pitting his own fear against him. I became a Guardian. And, here I am, Jack Frost. Creator of winter, fun-loving, visible to any who believe."

He grinned and did a happy dance in a shower of snowflakes.

Elsa giggled at his antics.

"You should go into the storytelling business. That was amazing."

He stuck out his tongue at her and suddenly hurled a torrent of snowballs in her direction. Elsa gasped and responded with her own until they were both covered and the room was a mess.

Jack flopped down, breathing hard, shaking the snow out of his hair.


	4. Hans' Goal

Hans smiled charmingly as he handed a blond woman with three little boys clinging to her purple skirt a stack of blankets. Because of the sudden unexpected winter, Arendelle was suffering from the cold, and everyone who had plenty of warm clothes and blankets were pitching in to help those who were caught unawares. Hans had thrown himself into the work of distributing, doing his best to earn the peoples' good graces. As the woman hurried away, he carefully brushed his spotless white gloves over his light-blue jacket, remembering…

_"__Son, while you are in Arendelle, I have something for you to do that you will like." Hans' father, the King of Weselton, stood alone with him in the dimly lit study. Hans had always been sort of his father's favourite, but as he was the youngest of thirteen, he had very little or no claim as an heir. _

_ "__What do you want me to do?"_

_"__The crown princess, Elsa, is young and beautiful. If the rumours are true, she's been shut up most of her life. While you are at the coronation, you, my son, will have the opportunity to use your charms on her. Who knows? You might become a king after all…"_

Hans could still hear his father's laugher mixing with his own echoing in his head. He smirked and surveyed the town before him as if it was already his. Not bad, if the snow was removed.

_Elsa barely noticed me. She seemed cold and withdrawn. Now I know why. But Anna was altogether too easy to capture. Once I can prove to her and Arendelle how dangerous Elsa is, everyone will turn to me. With her eliminated, nothing will stand between me and the throne._

He turned and started striding back towards the castle, looking pleased.

**Sorry this is so short. The next one that's coming is much longer. And it has a new twist.**

**Thanks Ian**


	5. A Bargain

Elsa woke up with a sense of dread. She rolled over and sat up. The moon shone through the window, creating a diamond of light on the crystal floor. A black silhouette stood next to her bed. She tried screaming, but found that her voice was gone. She felt powers building up inside of her, ready to burst out. Her fingertips grew icy cold. A soft, sinister voice floated around her.

"Please, Ice Queen, don't do something you'll regret."

Elsa took a deep breath and calmed herself. Suddenly, she found she could speak.

"Who are you?"

The shadow moved into the moonlight, illuminating himself. His face was sharply pointed and a grayish colour, his hair and robe were deep black, and his small eyes an eerie glowing yellow.

"Oh, I'm sorry! I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Pitch. Pitch Black."

He bowed mockingly. Elsa's blue eyes grew wide, and she fought down her terror.

"Why are you here?" She tried to keep the panic out of her voice, but it trembled.

"I'm here to make you a bargain. You see, ever since those pathetic Guardians tried to defeat me, no one seems to fear me anymore. I need your powers to be able to stay existent. Think of it! Darkness and cold, the perfect weapon."

Elsa inhaled sharply and tried to stand up, but Pitch pushed down by the shoulders with his gray long-fingered hands.

"Please don't push me. I need you to answer my question."

Elsa closed her eyes and screamed, "No!" but it came out as a whisper. She clutched her throat.

"No need to raise your voice. We wouldn't want to wake your friend Jack, now, would we?"

His voice slithered around her like a snake.

"Now, Elsa, I'm going to show you the consequences of your choice."

He grabbed her arms and pushed her ahead of him to Jack's room. Jack lay peacefully sprawled across the lacy white covers, his eyes closed and his mouth slightly open. His chest rose and fell rhythmically. Pitch closed the door and pushed Elsa until she was standing next to the bed. She noticed two tiny figures dancing above Jack's head. They were made of a golden sand-like substance, and when she peered closer, she realized that they were skaters, her and Jack, spinning and twirling on a frozen pond.

"It's his dream, Queen, and a pretty one too."

Pitch lifted one long finger and touched it to the golden sand.

Elsa gasped in horror as it turned black and formed into several dragons, who started to attack each other, shooting black fire around. Jack's eyelids pinched, and he started thrashing and making weird gasping noises. Elsa tried to call out to him, but her voice was gone again. She reached out and grabbed hold of the collar of his hoodie, trying to shake him awake. Pitch pulled her away.

"Please don't disturb him. His fear is making me stronger. I feel better already."

Jack grasped at the air, his face contorted, kicking at something invisible. Pitch dragged Elsa out of the room.

"Now, Elsa, I'm giving you a second chance. Will you come with me, or will your friend suffer every night, each night worse, until he dies of suffocation?"

Elsa swallowed hard and turned to him.

"I will come with you. Anything to keep him from this torment."

She steadied herself as she made the choice. She'd chosen imprisonment over freedom, but she knew that it was the right thing to do. A sudden boldness filled her.

"I will come with you. But I have one request: Jack is leaving soon. Most likely tomorrow. May I please stay here until then, so he doesn't have to know?"

Pitch was silent for a moment.  
"Alright. I have no reason to be doing this for you, but I will. But I warn you, if he's not gone by tomorrow evening, he will know, because I will come for you."

He turned and left as silently as he'd come, leaving Elsa alone in the cold hall. She let out the breath she'd been holding and raced back to Jack's room, shaking him awake.

"Jack! Wake up!"

He sat up wildly and the black sand vanished.

"What? What?"

Elsa thought quickly.

"Um, I heard you scream, so I came running. You were thrashing around, making strange sounds."

Jack sighed and ran his fingers through his hair.

"Yeah, bad dream. Worst one I've ever had. It was so real. We were caught in the middle of a dragon war, getting slowly cooked. Sorry about waking you."

He shuddered. Elsa tipped his chin up.

"Are you ok now?"

He covered her hand with his and nodded.

"Yeah, don't worry about me."

He didn't know it, but she wasn't that worried about him anymore, more about getting him safely out of there, and what Pitch was going to make her do.

**There. Got it all out. Might be a while before I get more done.**

**Tell me whether you're enjoying it or not.**


	6. Downhill

Elsa woke again, this time to the cold wintry sunrise, and the sound of her name echoing through the halls. She slipped out of her bed and slid her tiny feet into her shoes, opening the door. Anna stood on the middle of the snowflake design in the floor, her back to Elsa, her eyes big, trying to take it all in.

"Elsa?"

Elsa stepped to the top of the stairs as Anna caught sight of her.

"Elsa! This is so beautiful! You're so beautiful!"

Before Elsa could answer, someone outside shouted, "Fifty-nine…sixty!" and a small snowman came rushing in, stopping beside Anna.

"What is that?"

"Hi! I'm Olaf and I like warm hugs!"

"Really?" Elsa looked at him in surprise.

"You built me. Remember that?" He folded his stick hands and looked at her expectantly.

"I did? And you're alive?"

"Uhm…I think so?" He wiggled his fingers.

Anna sat down on the steps.

"He's just like the one we built as kids."

Elsa stood there, staring at her hands.

"Yeah!"

Suddenly Anna stood up and began to walk up the stairs towards her.

"We were so close. Elsa. We could be like that again."

"No. No it can't." Elsa turned away and started up the next flight.

"Please don't shut me out! You don't have to be afraid! I will be there for you!"

Anna began running after her. Elsa hurried to the top and out onto her balcony.

"I'm alone, but I'm free! You'll be safe from me if you stay away, Anna!"

She felt her sister behind her and retreated back into the room.

"We're not, Elsa." Anna's words felt heavy. Elsa spun around.

"What do you mean?"

Anna folded her mittened hands and didn't meet Elsa's eyes.

"Arendelle's in deep snow. You set off an eternal winter."

Elsa's eyes widened in horror. Suddenly the events of last night came rushing back to her and she couldn't control her emotions any longer. She flung her arms up over her head and screamed. A blast of ice filled the room, knocking her sister over. Anna gasped, clutching her chest, which was glowing blue through her dress. Jack came flying up the stairs, closely followed by a boy with blond hair poking out from under his hat, who couldn't see him.

"Elsa? Are you ok?" Jack grabbed her heaving shoulders, steading her. The boy ran over to Anna and gathered her in his arms, immediately turning back to the stairs, Olaf behind him. Elsa broke away.

"Wait! Anna!"

Anna opened her blurry eyes and saw Elsa and another person behind her, one she'd never seen, but felt she knew. Then her vision blackened, and she knew no more.

Jack found Elsa draped over the chair in her room. He was puzzled. Something was wrong. She looked troubled, vacant, and kept urging him to leave.

_Maybe she's that upset, how can I know? She struck her sister, and it looked bad. Maybe she needs space. I'll leave and report to North, but I'll be back as soon as I can._

He stepped over to her chair, his mind made up.

"I'm going to go, Elsa. Maybe you could use some space. Be brave."

He turned around. But he felt her small hand on his sleeve, so he turned back. She was standing, and her face was so close, her eyes searching his. He pulled her to him and kissed her lips briefly before breaking away and flying off out the window, leaving Elsa staring after him, her face wet with tears.


	7. Betrayal

Kristoff hurried Anna to his friends, the stone trolls.

"How do you know they'll be able to help me?" Anna was curled up in his arms as Sven galloped through the forest, her hair slowly turning white.

"Because I've seen them do it before." Kristoff thought back to when he was a small boy. He'd been helping the ice cutters do their job. He and tiny Sven worked hard to keep up, but they slowly fell behind and soon were alone. Suddenly two horses galloped past, leaving a trail of ice behind. Little Kristoff had urged Sven on, following. They came to a clearing in the forest, and the stone trolls had healed a little girl who'd been brought there by her parents and older sister. He'd watched as they unfroze her head by removing certain memories, and they warned the sister about her powers. He realized now that the parents were the late King and Queen of Arendelle, and the girls had been little Elsa and Anna.

They stopped in that same clearing and Kristoff and Anna asked the trolls for help. The troll king, Pabbie, came forward and examined Anna.

"Her heart is frozen. It's slowly freezing her."

"You can remove the ice, right?" Kristoff looked at him pleadingly.

"No, I can't, Kristoff. The only way to heal this is an act of true love; for instance, a true love's kiss."

"Anna, we have to get you to Hans." Kristoff lifted Anna again, and left the trolls behind.

Hans and his men stood outside Elsa's ice castle, at the foot of the stairs.

"Ok, listen men. We go in, we find Princess Anna, and we take the Queen prisoner. No harm is to come to either of them. Understood?"

The men nodded.

"Alright, let's go."

Jack alighted on a rooftop in a small town. He needed to clear his head. Why had Elsa struck her sister? Why did she want him to leave? And, above all, why oh why had he kissed her? If anything, it made the situation worse. He realized that he knew very little about her, only that she had ice powers and she had revealed them before running.

_I don't really have much to tell North, actually. There's questions that need answering before I can return. Maybe I should just go back. _

Jack rubbed his eyes. He wasn't cut out for this. His job was to make kids happy, not sit on roofs worrying about someone else's business. But he also couldn't just leave Elsa alone either. He stood up and caught the wind, headed back to Arendelle.

Elsa paced around the hall in her castle, fingers pressed to her temples.

"Control it. Don't feel it. Don't feel!"

The walls around her glowed red, reflecting her confusion and disappointment in herself. Suddenly the doors burst open and several armed soldiers rushed into the room.

"You are under arrest, Queen Elsa!" Hans' voice rang out loudly.

Suddenly a huge snow monster came up behind them and grabbed Hans, dragging him off. Two of the soldiers fitted arrows into their bows and aimed at Elsa. She blocked the first arrow with an ice wall and shot spikes at the soldier, hanging him by his jacket in the air. The second soldier she slowly started pushing towards the balcony with a block of ice. Her vision was flooded with a red haze. Then Hans came rushing back in.

"Queen Elsa! Don't be the monster they think you are!"

Elsa stopped the ice block and stared at him, breathing heavily. Hans saw a movement out of the corner of his eye and threw himself sideways towards the soldier stuck in the spikes, causing him to shoot the arrow that was meant for Elsa upwards, to the great chandelier. Elsa gasped and began running, barely escaping from under it as it fell. She tripped and lay there, tinkling bits of ice falling down around her. She felt a light touch on her shoulder and quickly sat up, ready to defend herself again. But the face that looked down on her in confusion was not a soldier's.

"Jack?!"

"Come here." She crawled into his lap and buried her face in his sweater, ignoring Hans, who was giving her weird looks. Then a voice spoke and the whole room went silent. Elsa felt Jack tense up and she lifted her head.

"I have come, Queen. Remember your promise?"

Elsa closed her eyes and lifted her chin, remembering. She didn't want to see the shock etched across Jack's face, so she stood and faced Pitch. He seemed a lot bigger, somehow. He held out his hand to her.

"No! Elsa! What are you doing?" Jack scrambled to his feet and aimed his staff at Pitch. Elsa stepped towards Pitch, speaking without looking at him.

"Jack. Remember this: I did it to protect you."

Her voice was lost as Pitch grabbed her around the waist and vanished. Jack stood frozen for a couple seconds before he melted and started racing around, yelling.

"Elsa? Elsa! Where are you?!"

Hans was staring at the spot where Pitch had been, his eyes wide in terror. Jack rushed over to him.

"Please, we have to find her back!"

Hans looked right through him, but one of the soldiers behind him gasped and stared right at him.  
"Jack Frost! Quick tie him up!"

The rest of the soldiers suddenly seemed to notice him, and they knocked Jack's staff out if his hands and proceeded to truss him up. He barely resisted, too numb to realize what was happening. Hans looked surprised, before recognition dawned on his face and he leaned down and lifted the staff curiously. It shot a beam of ice at the wall, and he dropped it again.

"Take him along back to Arendelle. He may know where that black creature took the queen."

The soldiers lifted Jack and carried him out.


	8. Captives

At the castle Kristoff let the servants who rushed out to meet them take Anna's limp figure and escort her through the doors. It was in that moment, when they were shut between them, that he slowly started to realize that he loved her.

Anna explained haltingly what had taken place to those who were supporting her and that she needed to get to Hans. They led her to the room where he was and shut the door, leaving them in privacy.

"Anna! What happened?" Hans quickly helped her over to the couch near the crackling fire.

"Elsa…struck me…she froze…my heart…you…need to kiss…me."

Hans leaned over her and she closed her eyes and pursed her lips, waiting. But the expected tender embrace never came. Instead, she heard a mocking chuckle. She popped her eyes open and stared at Hans as he started putting out the candles.

"What…are you doing?"

"Oh, Anna, if only there was someone who loved you."

"What do you mean?"

"As thirteenth in line in my own kingdom, I didn't stand a chance. I knew I would have to marry into the throne somewhere. As heir, Elsa was preferable, of course. But no one was getting anywhere with her. But you…you were so desperate for love, you were willing to marry me just like that! I figured after we were married, I would have to stage a little accident for Elsa. But then she doomed herself, and you were dumb enough to go after her. All that's left now is to kill Elsa, and bring back summer."

As he said this, Hans lifted a tall pitcher of water from the table and carefully poured it on the fire. Anna gasped in anger.

"You're no match for Elsa!"

"No, you're no match for Elsa. I, on the other hand, am the hero who is going to save Arendelle from destruction."

He walked to the door. Anna slipped off the couch and staggered after him.

"You won't get away with this!"

"Oh…I already have." Hans closed the door and Anna heard the key turned and pulled out of the lock. Anna reached up and pounded her fists on the hard impenetrable wood.

"No! Please…someone, let me…out…"

She collapsed from weakness, sobbing on the floor in the darkness.

Elsa felt herself coming round, and she opened her eyes. She was lying on something cold and hard, like stone, but everything was so dark she couldn't see. She groaned and moved her hand, shuddering as a loud clink rattled through the black. She was shackled. Hands and feet. She sat up. The air was thick and smelled almost rotten, if air can rot.

_I betrayed Jack, At least I didn't have to see his face when he realized why Pitch had come. My second betrayal in two days. I hope Jack doesn't come looking for me, or it will all be for nothing._

Elsa stared hard into the darkness ahead of her, wondering if her eyes were playing tricks on her. They weren't.

"Welcome, Ice Queen, to my humble abode." Pitch's yellow eyes boring into hers was all she could see of him. "Oh, I'm sorry! I forgot you can't see in the dark." A flame appeared below his eyes, and his long fingers touched the match to the candle. He set it down at her feet. It cast eerie glows around the cavern.

"Now, Elsa, don't be frightened. I'm going to make this whole ordeal just a little easier for you. Just for the record, I'm not going to hurt you."

Pitch lifted a small clear vial with a dark liquid from inside his cloak. He carefully uncorked it and knelt beside Elsa, pushing her shoulder until she was lying down, and positioning it above her mouth. Elsa stared at it blankly for a moment before firmly sealing her lips and turning her face away.

"Queen. I told you I wouldn't hurt you. Believe me, you won't regret taking this. Trust me, it only has an unpleasant taste."

Elsa frowned, and Pitch waited patiently, hand poised above her face. Suddenly she turned her head and opened her mouth, squeezing her eyes shut tight. Pitch's eyes gleamed as he tipped the vial and poured the elixir down her throat. Elsa recoiled by coughing violently and swallowing in a giant gulp of air. She almost immediately became limp and listless, her eyes glazing over. Pitch recorked the bottle and stood up, an evil gleam in his eye.

"Now, Elsa, obey me. You are now under my power. It will be short-lived, since I'll soon have no need of you any longer. Listen carefully. You are relieved of your powers."

Elsa's eyes rolled back in her head and her delicate body convulsed. A blue light rose out of her, spinning dizzily around before suddenly shooting straight at Pitch. It knocked him over and he lay on the cold black stone, gasping, and watching the light settle onto him and vanish. He scrambled to his feet, laughing. Elsa lay still.

"Hahahahaha! No one can stop me now! I can already taste their fear!"

He raised his arms in triumph and left without a backwards glance. Elsa breathed in and out shallowly a couple of times before the slight vapor that she breathed out vanished and she lay still, the life leaving her.

Jack felt the soldier hit the back of his head before they left the castle, after he started struggling. The next thing he knew, he was opening his eyes in a small damp room with a bluish light filtering through the window high above him. He sat up and looked at his hands, realizing that they were fastened inside steel pockets, chained to the floor. He quickly got up, trying to summon his powers and break free, but only a few snowflakes grew around the tip of the steel. His power was almost nothing without his staff, and it was nowhere to be seen. He shut his eyes and leaned against the wall, trying to think. Santa.

_He'll be wondering why I haven't come back to report. I wonder how long it'll take him to get here? Is this the time to use one of my precious distress signals? And will I even be able to without most of my powers?_

He thought it over carefully for a while. Then he turned to face the window and focused his mind on the signal. It worked, he hoped desperately, but he immediately collapsed from exhaustion.

Complete darkness. Then a growing light. I feel myself walking towards it. I step through a dark doorway out of the tunnel I'd been in into bright sunshine, blue sky, and green grass. Two figures are strolling towards me.

"Mother! Father!"

I run to them. My father looks at me tenderly before he wraps his arms around me and buries his face in my hair. Then I feel my mother's embrace engulf both of us, before they step back and she gazes at me with a grave expression. I look down, unable to meet her eyes.

"I've failed, mother. I betrayed them all."

"I know, honey. Let me tell you something I was afraid to before. When I was pregnant with you, I had a strange vision. It was about how you'd be a different sort of person, and you'd save the world from a strange power."

I sniff and let the tears in my eyes slide down my cheeks.

"But, mother, I failed! Don't you see? I haven't saved anyone! I just made everything worse! And now it's too late, because I'm dead, right?"

I glance around at the peaceful forest. My mother reaches out and brushes her fingertips across my chin.

"There's a reason for us being here when no one else is, my brave girl. You must understand: you've been chosen by someone great, someone who has power over life and death. He has chosen to preserve your precious life and grant you a duty."

I stare at her, not comprehending. My mother leans forward and looks into my eyes.

"Goodbye, sweetheart."

She gently presses her lips to my forehead. I feel like my veins are on fire. There are tears in my mother's eyes.

"Our part in this is finished, my daughter, but yours is just beginning."

The light fades and my parents vanish.

Elsa jerked awake, sweating and breathing heavily. She felt fresh, new, like she hadn't been lying on cold stone for hours. She thought of her parents and a few tears escaped her eyes.

_Did Pitch just take my powers? What am I going to do? And what just happened? Did I die?_


	9. Rescue

Santa walked up beside one of his yetis, lifting the delicate half-painted china girl with two fingers, examining it from all sides.

"Good, Eddie, good. Put a purple ribbon there and make seventy more."

He set the little doll back down and turned away, his eyes wandering over all the workers busy around the big workshop, stopping on the big doorway to his study. He hurried towards it, eyes wide, mind whirling. He stopped in the doorway, staring at the globe that filled half the room. A mist was gathered in front, and it swirled around and formed itself briefly into the shape of a person before dissipating.

"Jack! The distress signal!"

He narrowed his eyes, and quickly left to summon the Guardians.

Anna took a shaky shallow breath and opened her eyes, wondering at the odd squeaking noise coming from above her. Suddenly the door popped open, and Olaf trotted in, pushing his nose back into his face. He rushed to Anna.

"Anna! What's happened? You're cold as ice!" He rushed to the fireplace and threw an armful of sticks on, gingerly picking one of his arms out of the stack as it lit on fire. Then he hurried back and helped Anna over to the couch again.

"Olaf! You can't stay here. You'll melt!"

"I am not leaving until we find some other act of true love to save you."

"I don't even know what love is."

"That's ok, I do. Love is putting someone else's needs before yours, like, you know, how Kristoff brought you back here to Hans and left you forever."

"Kristoff…loves me?"

"Wow, you really don't know anything about love, do you?" Olaf's carrot nose started falling out of his face.

"Olaf! You're melting!"

"Some people are worth melting for…just maybe not right this second." He fixed his nose and ran over to the window, jerking it open. An icy blast of cold air filled the room.

"Look! It's Kristoff and Sven! It looks like they're headed this way! Hmm, maybe Kristoff doesn't love you enough to leave you here…Anna! Stay by the fire!"

Anna stumbled towards the open door.

"Please, Olaf…I need to…get to…Kristoff."

She made a smoochy face. Olaf suddenly grinned and got really excited. He pushed Anna out of the door.

"Kristoff DOES love you! I knew it!"

Elsa took a deep breath and tried not to imagine what it would be like when the candle burned out. Without her powers she felt defenseless and frightened. What evil creatures could be lurking in the dark corners?

_Oh, stop it, Elsa! Your imagination is running away with you. Just think. And breathe._

Breathing felt so good to her; the air gathering inside her and blowing it out again. It didn't even smell rotten anymore, more like a cool spring breeze. She smiled at the thought, and immediately felt the happiness inside her smother the worries. She was alive! And she'd seen her parents!

Jack flipped over, grasping for his staff, staring around in terror with sleep-filled eyes. He couldn't reach his staff, and when he rubbed his eyes, he realized that it was Toothiana shaking him, not an angry-faced unicorn.

"Mate. You have strange dreams." Bunny lifted him by his hoodie, looking him over. "Don't see any damage, North. Not sure why the bugger called us out here."

"Don't be silly, Bunny. Jack, why'd you call us here?" North crossed his big tattooed arms and looked down at him.

"Uhm…are you guys off the wall, or what? Look at this! This is NOT a problem?" He rattled the chains expressively.

"Oh, that. No problem, mate." Bunny lifted Santa's left sword out of its sheath and proceeded to hack at the iron. North growled and snatched it from him.

"Amateur. Watch." He flipped both swords in the air and neatly severed the chains.

"I could have done that."

"Will you guys please focus? I need to find Elsa!" Jack started towards the open door.

"What's he talking about? Who's Elsa?" North grabbed Jack's arm and pulled him back into the cell. "Jack, tell us what's going on here."

Jack took a deep breath and told about everything that had taken place since he'd arrived, leaving out the part where he kissed Elsa. They all stood around him, their eyes wide.

"Pitch? He's rising to power again? And he's using this girl, this queen?" Tooth looked frightened.

"It looks like someone's in love with 'this girl, this queen'." Bunny sniggered, giving Jack a pointed look. Jack cuffed him over the ears.

"Please. We have to find her. Who knows what Pitch could be doing to her?"

"Bunny." North shot an angry glance his way. Bunny raised an eyebrow and winked at Jack. "Ok, Jack. Guardians, what are we waiting for?! Let's go find Pitch!" He charged through the door, nearly running over a startled soldier, who backed up against the wall, his eyes bulging. Jack finally smiled and grabbed Sandy, who'd been napping where he stood, and followed the others out of the castle to the waiting sleigh.


	10. A Second Rescue

Elsa shrunk into the corner, hiding from the loud noises that were coming from far above her. She had no idea what was happening. Was Pitch back? He'd killed her, and she had no doubts that he'd do it again if he found her alive. A loud scraping noise echoed through the stone cavern and she flinched. It wasn't Pitch. He'd never make such an unbearable racket. A light bobbed slowly from the roof to the stone floor, and there were some shuffling, climbing sounds. Then a soft whisper that was unintelligible. A few more whispers, and the noises from above settled down. Elsa couldn't make heads or tails of what was going on, only that the lantern was being held high and the light bounced around in a wide circle. Then she heard it.

"Elsa? Is that you?" His voice was like sweet music to her overstrained ears.

"Jack!"

He ran over to her, gathering her in his arms. She leaned against him, closing her eyes. Another voice spoke.

"Jack! Will you hurry up? Is she down there?"

He scrambled to his feet, pulling her with him.

"Elsa. Are you injured? Did Pitch do anything to you?"

"Well…yes. He did. He made me drink this vile black substance and he took my ice powers."

Jack stared at her, stricken. "No! That can't be!"

"That's not all, Jack. That liquid was meant to kill me, and I think it did. I had a wonderful vision where I saw my parents, and then I woke up here."

He grabbed her arms and pulled her to the ladder that went up. She raised her eyes and saw several faces looking down on her.

"C'mon. We have to go, now. Tell me about it on the way."

"Prince Hans. The prisoner has escaped. The soldier who was standing guard left his post, and when he came back, the prisoner was being rescued."

"By whom?! And why didn't he fight them?" Hans paced angrily. He hadn't even had the opportunity to interrogate Jack Frost, and now he was gone.

"I couldn't get much out of the guard, sir. He was blubbering something about the Tooth Fairy and Santa Claus and a giant rabbit with a boomerang."

Hans inhaled sharply, his mind finally starting to understand what was going on here. "Leave. I need to think. Wait. Please inform the Duke that Princess Anna was struck by Queen Elsa and she came back here, only to die in my arms." He forced his voice to shake, hoping it would convince the soldier.

"She did? No—I mean, yes sir." He turned sharply and quickly left the room, but Hans saw his face crumple just before he shut the door.

Hans sat down on the sofa heavily, resting is forehead on his palms.

_All these lies and destruction…for what? So that I can gain power over this tiny little town. What does Father see in this for me? And it broke my heart to kill Anna. I've taken this too far. What am I going to do?_

"Elsa. Meet the Guardians." Jack gestured to the group in the sleigh, who all sat watching them. Bunny looked a little green as usual, as North's reindeer pulled them into the air. Elsa smiled a little at them.

"Jack, I've had a lot of time to think about this. I don't know who the one that gave me my life is. Or what I'm supposed to do now."

Jack settled his arm across her shoulders, managing to collect a snort from Bunny. "To be honest, there's only one that I know of who has the power. The same person that gave me my life back. The Man in the Moon."

"But why would he choose me? Of all the people he could've, he chose the betrayer."

"But Elsa, look at it this way: you were willing to sacrifice yourself for me. That takes some great courage. Maybe that's what he's looking for."

Tooth shifted her weight around and smiled at Elsa. "Sometimes even the most insignificant people can change the course of the future. We're with you, Elsa, all of us. Don't be afraid of Pitch."

She wrapped her short arm around Elsa's other shoulder, and Elsa looked around at them all, tears clouding her vision. Jack pulled her against him and she laid her head on his shoulder, overwhelmed.

"Look! North! Down there!" Bunny forgot about being sick as he leaned over the edge of the sleigh, pointing at a dark shape clouded in the snow that blew over the frozen fjord.

"Is…is that Pitch? What's he doing there?" Jack got up and staggered over to Bunny, grabbing the side of the sleigh for balance as Santa turned the reindeer around.

"It IS Pitch! And there's another guy, too. North, we have to get down there! The guy's backing away…" Jack stopped abruptly, deciding. There wasn't any time left. It was now or never. He turned to Elsa.

"You want to help me with this one? Remember, I got your back."

Elsa nodded and wrapped her arms around his neck from the back.

"What are you…?" Tooth's words were lost and Jack leaped over the side of the sleigh, catching the wind.


	11. Anna's Dead, Elsa

He landed them somewhere behind Pitch.

"Ok, if my calculations are correct, Pitch is standing about twenty feet that direction or a bit to the left, but I'm not certain. Elsa, I'll go this way, you go that way. If you see him, yell."

Elsa nodded, a spark of fear in her eyes. As Jack turned away, she heard him muttering. "Confound this snow! And why did that weirdo have to take my staff?" She took a deep breath and started forward, peering around, that vulnerable feeling tugging at her again. She didn't have powers anymore. What could she hope to accomplish?

Kristoff watched that tall black figure advancing with big eyes. Sven snorted in terror and bolted. He thought he heard a hint of voices from somewhere, but then he wasn't sure. Who in the world was this? Suddenly the figure waved his arm, and a sprinkling of ice crystals fell and broke on the glassy snow-covered surface of the fjord. Kristoff backed up a few steps, bumping into the hull of a ship frozen in the ice. He gasped. Then the black figure spun around, his yellow eyes searching. Kristoff watched as a girl dressed in light blue with a flowing cape emerged from the blowing snow and stopped short, staring at Pitch open-mouthed.

"What?!" Pitch's soft growl was almost lost in the wind. "You're dead!" He waved his hand and the swirling snowstorm quieted down and the fjord cleared. He took a step towards Elsa, and she took a deep breath and replied in an icy voice.

"You can't kill me that easily, Pitch Black."

"Oh, but YOU sure can kill people easily, Elsa, Queen of Arendelle." His eyes glittered. Elsa's defiance vanished and she stared at him, confused.

"I never killed anyone."

"Never is a very interesting word. In my experience, people seem to use it a little too much. Have you forgotton about your sister, Elsa?"

Elsa gasped and took a step away from him. "What? What do you mean by that?"

Pitch's mouth turned up in an evil smirk. "You know what I mean. She came home to Arendelle weak and cold, and she said you struck her. Her heart was frozen. Of course, Prince Hans showed his real self by locking her in a room with no warmth, leaving her. Your sister is dead, Elsa."

He crossed his arms, looking her in triumph. Elsa choked her emotions, falling to her knees with her back to Pitch. Kristoff felt his own heart rate elevate and a hard lump forming in his throat. Anna was dead? It couldn't be! She was so full of life, up until she was struck, and, even after she showed much courage. He suddenly realized that he loved her, more than anything. Tears blinded him, so much that he barely noticed when Pitch's fist connected with his head and he descended into darkness.

Hans stopped pacing, his mind made up. He'd find Elsa and…and…and figure out what to say when he found her. He grabbed his coat and strode out of the castle, into the blinding snowstorm that met him. He headed towards the fjord, knowing that he could very well get lost in the wall of white that surrounded him.


	12. Love Will Thaw

Anna stumbled along across the fjord, calling out.

"Kristoff! Kristoff!"

Her weak voice was swept away by the wind. She pulled her pink cloak closer around her, shivering. Her hands felt like they were frozen, and when she held them up in front of her face, the tips of her fingers were rapidly turning a light ice blue.

"Kristoff!"

Suddenly the swirling snow quieted down and the fjord cleared, as if some giant had blown it all away. Anna slowly turned around as the sound of someone crying quietly reached her ears. She took in the scene in front of her with wide eyes. Kristoff lay on the ice, limbs splayed out at awkward angles, behind a tall black man. Elsa was on her knees in front of him with her back to him, her hands covering her face, her slim shoulders shaking slightly. From behind her somewhere, she could hear running feet, but she barely noticed as she watched Pitch.

He lifted a long sharp ice sword over her head, ready to bring it down on the vulnerable girl at his feet. Anna stumbled forward, slipping in between that dreadful weapon and her sister. She stretched out her hands.

"Nooo!"

She cried out with all the voice left in her as her body swiftly froze up. The blade came down between her delicate ice fingers, smashing into a million shards.

Pitch reeled back but quickly regained his balance and started forward, angry. Then he was thrown away from Anna's still figure by a blast of ice. Jack came running up, his eyes wide as he stared at Hans, who stood holding Jack's staff, pointed at Pitch. Santa's sleigh landed close by, and Guardians piled out, standing in a solomn group. Kristoff sat up, rubbing his head. Everyone was staring at Anna. Elsa scrambled to her feet.

"No! Anna! No. Please, no."

She traced Anna's still face with her fingertips before throwing her thin arms around the glassy figure, weeping. Pitch snarled as Jack grabbed his arms, but Hans held the staff steady, a steely look in his eyes.

Suddenly Kristoff gasped softly. Elsa was still draped over Anna's body, but now they could all see a small patch of colour growing inside the ice statue. It rapidly spread outwards, and then Anna breathed in and wrapped her arms around her sister. Elsa pinched her eyes shut, holding her close, and them held her at arm's length, looking her over almost in awe.

"You sacrificed yourself for me!"

Anna smiled.

"I love you, Elsa."

Suddenly Olaf started jumping up and down.

"Remember, Anna? 'An act of true love will thaw a frozen heart!'"

Elsa's eyes widened.

"Love will thaw."

She suddenly smiled and lifted her arms. The snow around the small group started swirling up into the sky. Pitch groaned, his body jerking. She thawed the ice around the ship they were standing on, not noticing the shining blue light that hovered over her platinum blond head for several seconds before vanishing.

The sun shone out and all the snow disappeared into the sky. Everyone stared at Elsa as she stood there, triumphant, glowing. Anna broke the silence by turning and running to Kristoff, who grabbed her by the waist, spinning her around.

"Hands down, this is the best day of my life! And quite possibly the last." Olaf started melting. Elsa smiled again and waved her hands, creating a tiny snow cloud that floated over Olaf's head. It felt so good to use her powers again.

Pitch lay unmoving on the deck of the ship. Santa knelt beside him, feeling for a pulse. There wasn't one. He stood up.

"He's dead."

Hans walked to Jack, holding out the staff. Jack took it. Then He turned and looked at Anna.

"I'm sorry. For everything. I know I'm a terrible person. Ana I did some pretty awful things. Anna, will you please forgive me?"

Anna didn't hesitate.

"Yes, I do. I'm glad you cam and protected us."

Jack started towards Elsa, but suddenly the group was moving, heading towards the castle, and they were swept along.


	13. Immortality

The celebration inside the castle that night was very joyful, yet just too much for some of the guests. Jack finally found Elsa, after much weaving in and out through the masses of people. The noise, colours, and roaring of voices made his ears ring. She was standing alone in a corner, hiding, her eyes looking slightly glazed. Jack took one look at her and pulled her out of the chaos, out onto the balcony, leaving the lights and music behind. The quiet was a relief, and a light breeze was blowing. Elsa leaned chin on her arms, staring up at the dark sky as the stars winked down.

"I've always loved the night. The stars have a cold beauty to them. So far away, yet it feels like you could reach up and touch them."

Jack seated himself backwards on the railing.

"You must be exhausted, Els, after all this."

"Yes, I am. The whole celebration thing was Anna's idea. She's so energetic, sometimes I feel she'll cause a thunderstorm."

Just as the words slipped out of her mouth, Anna bundled out onto the balcony.

"Did someone mention a thunderstorm?"

She looked up, as if expecting lighting to strike. Jack and Elsa glanced at each other. Anna didn't seem to notice as she prattled on.

"Elsa, you have to come! Now! There's someone asking for you. Bye, Jack!"

Before Elsa could protest, Anna was dragging her back into the ballroom. Jack watched them melt into the crowd, a smile playing on his lips. He was starting to realize something about Elsa, something about the way his heart started beating so hard whenever she glanced his way and shyly smiled at him. It sort of scared him.

Jack lay on the intricately carved four-poster bed, gazing up at the purple canopy in thought. He was troubled.

_I'm in love with the only girl who'll ever be perfect for me; but what am I to do? I'll outlive her!_

He cringed at the image that popped into his mind: a wrinkled, bent-over, old lady, with frizzy white hair, standing next to a seventeen-year-old boy, hanging onto his hand with his gnarled fingers for support.

Jack turned over, unable to ignore the crushing pain in his heart, and tried to find peace in sleep.

I'm walking in my chemise and bare feet down the stone steps onto the terrace outside the castle. I feel lighter than air as I walk, going where my feet lead me of their own accord. Now I'm standing still. Suddenly a voice floats from somewhere above me. I automatically lower my head.

"Elsa…"

This voice in unlike anything I've ever heard; it sounds like cool rippling brooks in the shade, like the sound the wind makes, like all the seasons and years of the earth together. I close my eyes shut and venture one soft question.

"Who are you?"

"Elsa. I am he who they call 'The Man in the Moon.'

I open my eyes again, staring at the silver moonlight glimmering in a pool around me.

"Elsa…you have learned to control your powers, and, in doing so, have overcome your fear of evil…"

I remember the darkness of Pitch's cave. Somehow, it all seems so far away now.

"You, Elsa, have been part of a greater plan, a plan to destroy the evil one, from the time you were born. Your powers are not a curse, but a gift. When you froze your kingdom, you set in motion what was destined from the beginning. Every word, action, mistake that you made, were following the script, as you might say."

I continue staring at my toes, storing all his soft words in a corner of my memory to treasure forever. I sense that he is waiting, so I ask the biggest question.

"What's going to happen to me now?"

"One can never know the future, they can only use the knowledge of the past as guidance. There is one gift I have yet to bestow upon you…"

I feel something lightly touch my forehead, and suddenly, like after my mother gave me my life back, the blood in my veins is burning, a fire tearing through me.

"This gift I gave you, Elsa, is the spirit of the immortals!"

Elsa rolled out of her bed, crashing onto the polished wood floor. She untangled herself from the bedclothes, stumbling half-asleep to the door, one hand on a bruised hip.

As her fingers grasped the cold steel of the handle, she suddenly remembered the vision, and she bolted awake, spinning around to face the floor-length mirror.

She stepped closer, her blue eyes sweeping over the figure staring back at her.

_I look the same._

She slid to the floor, resting her aching limbs, before dragging herself closer to the glass, determined to find something that confirmed it in the semi-darkness. She never made it. Instead, sleep overtook her mind and she curled up right where she was, snoring softly.


	14. A New Life

Elsa smiled as she surveyed the rows of people, all decked out in their best, seated the same way as on her coronation day. Except, unlike that dreaded occasion, she felt carefree and lighthearted. She shifted her bouquet in her hands, glancing sideways at Kristoff. His eyes were riveted on the closed oak doors at the back of the church, and he looked nervous.

Then the doors swung open. Anna walked delicately down the aisle, hanging onto Hans' arm. The ruffles of her beautiful white dress rustled slightly, her cheeks pink with excitement, her green eyes bright. At the front, she let Hans kiss her cheek before taking Kristoff's hand and turning with him towards the alter. The priest stood in front of them with his hands raised in blessing.

Elsa felt her heart swell with happiness. Nothing could spoil this moment. Nor the moments to come; they were treasures, kept forever:

the moment where Anna and Kristoff were each wearing a silver ring on their joined hands;

the moment Kristoff lifted Anna's veil and leaned forward to shyly kiss the radient face beneath;

the moment when he scooped her up and swept her away to the ballroom, where the reception was held, the crowds following.

Elsa realized she'd never felt so full of emotions. Mostly happiness, but also some regret. After this night, Anna and Kristoff were leaving on a month-long honeymoon.

Elsa raised her wineglass to her lips, enjoying the rich fruity fragrance, before taking a sip.

A pair of arms encircled her from behind. She leaned against Jack, closing her eyes for a moment of peacefulness. He sighed, rubbing his chin in her hair.

She turned around in his arms.

"Jack, people are staring."

He grinned a wicked grin and jerked her braid.

"Who cares if they do?"

She pulled away from him and set her wineglass on the table, surveying the people around. She could see Anna and Kristoff in the middle of a crush of people. Anna looked slightly drained. Kristoff had his arm around her, and it almost looked like he was supporting her. Maybe her endless source of energy had run out. He was trying to make his way to the door, but he wasn't very successful.

"C'mon, Jack. Let's go rescue Anna and Kristoff from their guests."

She grabbed his hand and pulled him in between the people. Kristoff openly breathed out a sigh of relief when he saw them.

"Anna, let's get you changed for your journey."

Elsa pushed her out of the ballroom. When they reached Anna's room, Elsa immediately began stripping the heavy dress off her.

"Oh, Elsa, what am I going to do without you?"

"You'll be just fine, Anna. You are perfectly capable of taking care of yourself. Don't you remember that whole adventure when you set off to rescue me and ended up almost dying? And then you saved my life?"

Elsa buttoned up the dark green jacket of Anna's travelling outfit, smoothing it out carefully. Anna threw her arms around her.

"I love you Elsa, never forget that. Ever."

"I love you too, but now you need to think about Kristoff, and your new life. Come, let's go and find the others."

She picked up Anna's last bag and did a quick check to see if the butler had left any of her boxes and trunks behind before taking Anna's hand and shutting the door behind them. Anna took a deep breath.

_A new life. With Kristoff beside me every step of the way. _


	15. The Perfect Gift

2 Years Later

Jack alighted on the balcony of Elsa's ice castle, high up in the mountains. He'd just gotten back from three weeks' worth of making snow and ice, and Anna had told him that Elsa had come up here yesterday.

He could see a warm light shining from inside, painting the snow around the castle bluish gold in the semidarkness. Soft piano music drifted through the room as he shut the ice doors behind him.

_Boy, it sure feels good to be back._

He turned around the corner and leaned against the doorframe for a few minutes, enjoying the sound of the piano and watching his wife's nimble fingers run over the keys.

Then he slipped up behind her and covered her fingers with his. She gasped, startled and jumped up, throwing herself into his arms.

"Jack! You're home!"

Jack held her against him, eyes closed. She pulled away and stared at him, smiling, as she ran her hands through his hair.

"You know what? You're so beautiful."

Elsa wrinkled her nose at him and giggled. He leaned forward and kissed her, his eyes full of smiles.

"North is afraid I'm not doing my job. Ha. He may be onto something. I don't feel like working when I'm with you, Elsa."

She sighed happily, and wrapped her fingers in his collar, happiness dancing in her eyes.

"I have a surprise for you, Jack. We're going to have a baby."

Jack stared at her, frozen in place.

"Really? Are you serious?"

Suddenly he let go of her and went galloping around the room, shouting.

"I'm going to have a baby! I'm going to have a baby!"

Elsa giggled, and he was back beside her in a flash, his arms around her.

"Now remember: don't overdo anything, especially not your work. Promise you won't."

"I won't. I'm glad you're back, babe."

She looped her arm through Jack's and led him to their room, where he pulled her onto the bed. She fell asleep curled in his arms. He lay awake in the darkness for a long time, marveling at the thought of a smaller version of him or Elsa running underfoot, childish laughter echoing through the halls.

Jack set one of his hands on her stomach, closing his eyes to imagine the life stirring under his palm.

The perfect gift.

THE END


End file.
